“Dang!”
The two’s weapons clashed like the collision of two different worlds, producing a loud report. Tiny cracks appeared in s.p.a.ce.
After the violent impact, the two each took ten steps back. Xiao Chen leaked some blood out of a corner of his lips, his complexion paling somewhat.
The blue-robed old man appeared unharmed, but his arm was numb. His hand was empty; Xiao Chen’s saber knocked off his sword.
The other three old men evinced horror on their faces. That move had been the blue-robed old man’s strongest attack. Unexpectedly, not only did he fail to defeat Xiao Chen, but he even got disarmed.
How could a person who just advanced to quasi-Emperor be so strong?
Even if Xiao Chen had much more acc.u.mulation, the amount of the power of the world that a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor could drive should be more than double his.
Unless…
There was only one possibility: this fellow’s Profound Martial Technique already reached Medial Grade, one entire grade higher than the blue-robed old man’s move.
Furthermore, that set of Azure Dragon Battle Armor looked very strange as if it had absorbed a significant portion of the damage.
“I did tell you not to regret this. I, Xiao Chen, never feared you. If you want to see who can be more ruthless, then let’s see who can play this out till the end!”
After snorting coldly, Xiao Chen pulled off the Sea Monarch Headscarf on his forehead. Then he quickly charged towards the unarmed blue-robed old man.
While you are weakened, I will take your life!
“Stop him!”
The other three seemed to wake up from a dream and realized the severity of the situation. They all leaped over and tried to stop Xiao Chen, preparing to use their fastest speed to finish him off.
“Ao Jiao, Little Yellow Feather, just help me block two of them for a while.”
Consider it done.
Little Yellow Feather spread its wings and flew out amid a piercing golden light. It entered its berserk state, blazing like the sun, and lit up the surrounding s.p.a.ce as bright as day.
It opened his beak and spewed out a stream of golden holy fire at one of the other three old men.
“What in the world is this? Solar True Flame?! How can there be such pure Solar True Flame?!”
These were flames that could melt even Xiao Chen’s Azure Dragon Battle Armor. How could it be so easy to block?
Caught off-guard, most of that particular person’s protective Law Energy burned away, leaving his hair and eyebrows to scorch, causing him to cry out in a panic.
Ao Jiao did not bother saying anything when she appeared, simply materializing a short saber. When she chopped down with the saber, divine thunder resounded in the sky as she blocked another old man.
This left only one old man flying towards Xiao Chen, trying to stop him from harming the weaponless blue-robed old man.
Who would have imagined that Xiao Chen would not even bother to look at this person but merely let the attack land on him, persisting in attacking the blue-robed old man?
“Pu ci!”
When the attack landed on Xiao Chen, he vomited out some blood, and his complexion paled further.
However, the blue-robed old man was in an even sorrier state. The saber at his chest broke his ribs and cut through his flesh. Blood spurted out like a fountain.
Xiao Chen forcibly executed another move, landing another saber strike on the blue-robed old man’s body.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Xiao Chen endured another three attacks on himself as he likewise sent out another three attacks on the blue-robed old man, hacking the unarmed and defenseless blue-robed old man, whose aura fell to rock bottom, until the old man was half dead.
Xiao Chen did not give the blue-robed old man any chance to rest, extracting a heavy price.
As for the other old man, he landed three moves on Xiao Chen without holding back at all. Xiao Chen’s Azure Dragon Battle Armor was already fading and starting to disappear. Wounds covered his body, staining his robes scarlet.
However, when this person saw Xiao Chen turn around, he lost all his fighting spirit and was startled into retreating three steps.
This person was truly alarmed. In his three hundred years of life, he had never seen such a ruthless youth before.
Ruthless to the enemy, even more ruthless to himself.
This person was extremely clear on how strong his three moves were. However, Xiao Chen had not even groaned but merely focused on attacking the blue-robed old man half dead, not bothering to turn his head at all.
This person looked at the blue-robed old man with some shock. The blue-robed old man was the strongest among them. However, Xiao Chen attacked him until the blue-robed old man was bloodied and lying helpless on the ground, moaning in pain.
Now, this particular person finally understood what Xiao Chen meant by not regretting the consequences.
Then, this person saw Xiao Chen reveal a cruel smile, raise his saber, and charge over. This old man’s legs trembled as he performed an action that he never thought that he would ever do—turning around and fleeing.
Xiao Chen frightened him away. This person simply could not face that pair of eyes, which suppressed all fighting spirit.
“What’s going on?!”
The two old men currently fighting Ao Jiao and Little Yellow Feather had already seized the advantage after that initial shock. However, when they saw the half-dead blue-robed old man and how the other old man turned and fled, they showed puzzled expressions.
“Ao Jiao, step back!”
Xiao Chen did not care about the old man who left. He shouted a cold war cry and turned around to charge over, swapping out with Ao Jiao and Little Yellow Feather, taking on the pressure from the two Great Perfection quasi-Emperors.
After a hundred moves, the two old men became fl.u.s.tered. Now, they knew why the other old man ran without fighting.
When facing this Xiao Chen who fought without care for his life, anyone would fl.u.s.ter. They would not have a choice but to give way to such a ruthless person.
No part of Xiao Chen’s body remained intact. The wounds left by the two old men were eye-catching and frightening.
“Go! Go! I cannot hold on any longer. This fellow is too crazy!”
The wounds on Xiao Chen’s body increased. Several times, it looked like he would buckle. However, the two old men were disappointed each time, resulting only in their own injuries increasing.
The two old men’s minds were about to collapse. They no longer dared to continue gambling on succeeding. They quickly abandoned the battle, picking up the blue-robed old man’s body and turning to flee.
Four Great Perfection quasi-Emperors were frightened away by a newly advanced quasi-Emperor like Xiao Chen, unwilling to remain another moment longer.
If such a matter spread, no one would believe it. Aside from the term “heaven-defying,” no other word could describe this.
Xiao Chen extended his Spiritual Sense, making sure that the four old men were far away, dragging their heavily injured bodies.
He revealed a smile before toppling backward.
Earlier, after being forced out the fight, Ao Jiao had tried to reenter it several times without any success. Now, she quickly rushed forward and held the fallen Xiao Chen in her embrace.
Little Yellow Feather, which had many of its feathers fall off in the battle and was mentally fatigued, flapped its wings and flew over.
Xiao Chen stretched out his hand, trying to commend Little Yellow Feather. However, he saw his b.l.o.o.d.y hand; it was just too dirty. He smiled bitterly as he put his upraised arm back down.
“Ao Jiao, I’ll be fine after taking a nap. Don’t cry. If you cry, I won’t wake up.”
After squeezing those words out, Xiao Chen closed his eyes and entered into a deep sleep.
Ao Jiao held him tightly in her embrace, her eyes watering. However, she thought about what he said and forced the tears back. She muttered, “You idiot, why do you always have to put in so much effort? What is so good about being the Azure Dragon King?”
In the fiery land with the dark sky, one person, one Item Spirit, and one bird appeared mournful and lonesome in this vast world.
Xiao Chen remained covered in blood, still lying against Ao Jiao in a deep sleep. Wounds riddled his body; there was not a single intact spot.
Little Yellow Feather shook its head and body, casting off all the dust and broken feathers, and looked invigorated again.
“Chirp! Chirp!”
The small Golden Crow cried out when it saw Ao Jiao’s grief. It tried to console her, but as it was so young and immature, its methods were rather laughable.
Ao Jiao caressed Little Yellow Feather’s head, squeezing out a faint smile on her face. She said, “Little Yellow Feather, help me. Go bring some water back.”
Little Yellow Feather looked at the blood-stained and dust-covered Xiao Chen. It flapped its wings and adopted a posture conveying that this was a trivial matter. Then, it flew towards the second ring—the Iceberg Ring.
Soon, Little Yellow Feather flew back with a small-mountain-sized chunk of ice dangling from its sharp claws. It placed the ice beside Ao Jiao.
She not know whether to laugh or cry at this. Then, she searched Xiao Chen for a piece of cloth. As the ice melted, she wiped him down, appearing very serious and solemn as she did so.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Little Yellow Feather continuously flew back and forth, presenting her with several small-mountain-sized chunks of ice.
Ao Jiao smiled. Little Yellow Feather really had a one-track mind. Since she had not asked it to stop, it did not.
This was good as well. The Flame Ring was hot all year round; even the ground was scorching. With all this ice to lower the temperature, the sleeping Xiao Chen should be more comfortable.
After Ao Jiao wiped his entire body clean, his clothes were now as white as snow once more. She brushed his hair side, revealing his delicate features, then gently tied the Sea Monarch Headscarf around his forehead.
In less than half a day, most of the wounds on his body recovered.
However, Xiao Chen was too severely injured this time. He did not show any signs of waking up soon. He probably would not wake up before he had recuperated from his internal injuries.
Getting to her feet, Ao Jiao picked up the Lunar Shadow Saber that had fallen out of Xiao Chen’s hand and carved out a bed of ice. Then, she gently placed his body on it.
In this scarlet s.p.a.ce, she did not say a single word as she held the Lunar Shadow Saber and started practicing with it.
Rumbling thunder resounded. Golden Divine Lightning tore through the sky, flickering endlessly as Ao Jiao moved.
The little Golden Crow felt playful, so it flew over and started exchanging moves with her.
---
Seven days later, Xiao Chen opened his eyes to a cooling sensation coming from his numb limbs, which made him feel extremely comfortable in this Flame Ring.
After moving his hands to explore his body, he realized that he was lying on a bed of ice. The bloodstains on his body had all been wiped clean long ago. He sat up and looked around, but he did not see Ao Jiao.
Feeling doubtful, Xiao Chen slowly got off the ice bed and looked around once more, but he still did not see her.
“Chirp!”
There was a crisp bird call. Then, Xiao Chen looked behind and discovered Ao Jiao asleep, leaning against the ice.
Ao Jiao had her eyes closed, her usual fiery and bizarre temper hidden. She looked very calm as she leaned against the ice bed.
Her well-filled-out figure gained a certain additional attractive charm, appearing very enticing; she looked like a sleeping G.o.ddess—n.o.ble and gorgeous, charming and cold.
Little Yellow Feather looked very spirited as it perched on Ao Jiao’s arm. Its intelligent eyes monitored the surroundings warily like a warrior standing guard.
Seeing that Xiao Chen had recovered, Little Yellow Feather appeared extremely excited.
It looked like the chick was going to cry out loudly, so Xiao Chen quickly made a hus.h.i.+ng motion and pointed at Ao Jiao.
Little Yellow Feather immediately understood. A lively expression flashed in its eyes, but it remained quiet. Then, it used a wing to make a hus.h.i.+ng motion as well.
Just at this moment, Ao Jiao’s eyelids twitched. When she saw Xiao Chen, all her sleepiness immediately vanished.
Joy flashed in her eyes as she quickly stood up and hugged Xiao Chen.
A blazing flame immediately lit up in Little Yellow Feather’s eyes; jealous rage burned in them as it flared its wings at Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen patted Ao Jiao’s shoulders and smiled. “If you still don’t let me go, Little Yellow Feather is going to burn me up.”